Doctor explaining something to a patient

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS:

Your vital role

Health care providers should start to talk about colorectal cancer screening with patients at age 45 or younger, depending on each person’s history and risk.  

We know that providers have limited time with patients. Often, they must focus on immediate health issues over preventive actions like screenings. 

Amid these challenges, research points to strategies that can help.

“A primary care clinician recommendation is the most powerful influence on a patient’s decision to get screened for cancer.”

— National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable

Smiling group of healthcare clinic staff

Evidence-based strategies for success

  • Take a team approach. Health care practices have more success when they work together to increase screening rates.¹

  • Establish a patient navigation program. This can help ensure patients complete screenings and receive follow-up care.² ³

  • Conduct regular provider assessment and feedback. This includes showing provider and health care teams their current screening rates and where opportunities were missed.⁴

  • Remind providers when patients are due for screening. Activate EHR notifications or create a system where reminders are clearly visible before and during a patient visit.⁴

  • Remind patients they are due for screening. Call your patients to let them know they’re due for screening. Send reminder letters, postcards, text messages, or EHR messages to remind patients to screen.⁴

  • Reduce structural barriers to screening. Simplify administrative procedures and other obstacles to screening.⁴

"About nine out of every 10 people whose colorectal cancers are found early and treated appropriately are still alive five years later."

— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Two resource materials from the American Cancer Society

Resources for improvement

Improve your colorectal cancer screening rates. Visit the Resources page for guides to making improvements at your clinic and download materials to share with patients.

  1. Schlueter D, DeGroff A, Soloe C, et al. Factors That Support Sustainability of Health Systems Change to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Primary Care Clinics: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study. Health Promotion Practice. 2023;24(4):755-763. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399221091999 

  2. Escoffery C., Fernandez M.E., Vernon S.W., Liang S., Maxwell A.E., Allen J.D., Dwyer A, Hannon P.A., Kohn M. & DeGroff A. . (2021, September-October). Patient navigation in a colorectal cancer screening program Journal of Public Health Management Practice,  21(5):433-440. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4618371/ 

  3. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, January 24). CPSTF Recommends Patient Navigation Services to Increase Cancer Screening and Advance Health Equity. The Community Guide.https://www.thecommunityguide.org/news/cpstf-recommends-patient-navigation-services-increase-cancer-screening-advance-health-equity.html

  4. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 24). The Community Guide: Cancer screening: Multicomponent interventions — colorectal cancer. https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/cancer-screening-multicomponent-interventions-colorectal-cancer.html